Holistic veterinarians consider diet, environment, lifestyle and psychology to keep pets healthy. They offer alternative methods of treatment, as well as conventional medical therapies, to provide the most comprehensive care for animals.
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Regular Vet or Specialist
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Ask your regular vet; many are open to using alternative medicine to complement mainstream veterinary techniques. You can also consult the membership directories of professional associations that represent and certify various holistic specialties.
Homeopathy
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Homeopathy treats a disease by administering highly dilute doses of substances that in larger amounts would produce the symptoms it's treating. Members of the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy (theAVH.org) use it as their primary modality.
Chiropractic
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The American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AnimalChiropractic.org) represents vets that use manipulation and adjustment of body structures, such as the spinal column, to relieve pain and treat disease.
Acupuncture
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The American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture (AAVA.org) trains vets in acupuncture and accepts international members. The International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS.org) offers courses and certification in Chinese herbalism as well as acupuncture.
Herbalists
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The Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association (VBMA.org) promotes the use of herbal medicine for animals and provides training and certification for vets.
Search by State
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Two groups concerned with combining mainstream and alternative treatments to best advantage offer search tools on their websites: the Veterinary Institute of Integrative Medicine (VIIM.org) and the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA.org).
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